


By the Way

by Simara



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Minor Violence, You Have Been Warned, convenient use of injury, nonbinary Riddler, they/them pronouns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 05:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6142645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Simara/pseuds/Simara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Riddler is once again caught but at least they manage to make the Bat blush crimson red and that's something, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	By the Way

**By the Way**

Ed had a very, very bad day. Right now, they were being chased by the Bat and weren’t holding up all too well. Every minute now, they’d be slammed into the concrete floor and- yep, here we go. Ed didn’t even manage to shield their face from the impact and accidently bit their lip as they collided. The Bat yanked their arm upwards without warning and for a second, Ed heard something in their shoulder crack. They tried their best not to let the pain show but the tickle of blood on their chin and the fact that they didn’t try to put up any resistance whatsoever seemed to trip the Bat off. The iron grip got slightly less forceful.  
“Do I need to handcuff you?” The man growled and it was an odd question. Ed understood the implication all too well though. They lifted their chin in arrogance and snarled:  
“It’s no matter to me what you do, just try not to break my neck the next time you hurl yourself at me.” They knew it was a mistake to reply like that the same moment the Bat knocked them against a wall and handcuffed them without any remaining caution. Ed yelped in pain, gasping as their shoulder moved in a way that it wasn’t supposed to move in at all but Batman pushed them towards the car without even giving them a second to adjust. Cursing themself inwardly, Ed almost fell over at the sudden shove but caught themself just in time. This was their own fault, they thought bitterly, the Bat had given them a choice and they had preferred to reject it.

The door of the Batmobile was opened and at least- Ed was honestly thankful for that- the Bat didn’t manhandle them into the vehicle. Ed tried their best to sit down without twisting their arm even more. _You’ve had worse_ , they told themself, _there’s no need to whine about a dislocated shoulder_. But it did hurt and sitting like this didn’t make it any better. After a while, they caught the Bat glancing at them and couldn’t help but grin sardonically.  
“If I’d known you’d have such an increased interest in my face tonight I would have tried not to ruin it”, they joked, tilting their head a little in order to gesture towards the scratches and bruises their encounter with the street had left them with. The Bat made a sound Ed couldn’t really pin down. It could have been anything from a laugh to a growl. One of these days, Ed swore, they’d provoke a proper response with their flirting. One of these days…

The car slowed down as they passed the gates of Arkham Asylum. Ed felt themself tense at the sight of the hated place. Batman lead them inwards but the guards seemed unusually busy.  
“Thank you for bringing Nygma back Batman but we’ve had a security breach. We manage but-” _Jon did it then_ , Ed thought, _that plan of his actually worked_. They couldn’t suppress a certain jealousy.  
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him. Just make sure there’s a cell ready. And a physician,” Batman said, dismissing the guards.  
“Want to have me all to yourself, don’t you?” Ed quipped, carefully touching their throbbing shoulder once they and the Bat where alone in the admission room.  
“I don’t have time for this, Edward.” With that, a prison jumper was thrown at their head and with a scowl, Ed turned away to change in peace. They didn't mind undressing in front of the Bat- they’d been in and out of Arkham way too often to play shy- but they had enough dignity not to show too much of their body off. They just started trying to put their shirt away and get the jumper all the way up without causing themself even more pain when they noticed a sound, almost like a cough, that made them turn their head. The Bats cheeks where flushed crimson red and Ed furrowed their brow in wonder for a moment. Then they followed the man’s gaze and remembered. They were wearing their favourite bra.  
“I meant to correct you for a while”, Ed said with a smug smile. “It’s Ed and ‘they’.” The Bat nodded, seemingly trying very hard not to let his surprise show too much.  
“I’ll remember.”  
“Thank you. By the way” Ed turned fully around, grinning widely, using the Bats moment of insecurity to sling their undamaged arm around the man’s neck and raising themself on tip toes. “Considering this overdue revelation, do you still don’t have time for-“  
“If you come any closer I’ll have to dislocate your other shoulder as well.” Ed let go, smiling gleefully- they could still feel the Bats muscle under their hands- but increasingly pale.  
“Fair enough. But-”  
“What now, Nygma?”  
“If you don’t get me some painkillers soon I think I might pass out.” All the moving around made them dizzy indeed and it didn’t reduce the aching either.  
“You might want to sit down then because I won’t catch you if you faint.” Ed sneered but their reply wasn’t as smooth as intended.  
“I’d never- faint, you m-“, and with that, both of them proved their claims to be false.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This has no reason to excist, there is not much plot to speak of and I mostly wrote it because I had the picture of Batman starring at Riddler in a cute bra stuck in my head. English is not my native language so feel free to point out if I made any mistakes. Hope you enjoyed reading.


End file.
